The present invention relates, in general, to connectors for modular structural units, and relates, more particularly, to a connector apparatus for joining panels and posts to form a modular panel structure and means for the mounting of brackets therefrom.
Modular panel structures have been commonly used in office buildings, schools, and factories for the erection of walls to form rooms, work spaces, and offices. Such modular panel structures usually included a plurality of vertically extending posts to which vertically oriented panels were joined or otherwise secured. It has been found to be desirable to attach brackets for shelves, desks, tables and other similar furniture to the modular panel structure to enhance its functional value.
A properly designed modular panel structure should meet several design criteria in function and appearance. It should be easily assembled and disassembled. Since some structures must extend from floor to ceiling, access to the top or bottom of the structure should not be required for assembly and disassembly. To minimize coverage of valuable floor space and to minimize safety hazards, panel connectors and bracket mounting means should be recessed. In addition, the structure should provide an acoustical barrier to promote a quiet office environment and should be aesthetically pleasing.
Prior modular panel structures have failed to meet these design criteria. Some structures have employed slotted or apertured posts into which bracket feet or hooks were inserted, with the panels secured by conventional fasteners to the brackets. Disadvantages to this approach included unsightly appearance and unsafe protruding fasteners. Other structures have fastened panels to posts using dove-tailed connectors that necessitated sliding each panel onto a post. This type of structure is difficult to assemble where floor to ceiling walls are required. Still other units employ plug-in snap-acting connectors which must be destroyed in order to disassemble the modular unit.
Certain structures disclosed in the prior art have improved upon the modular panel structures described above. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,962,133 issued on Nov. 29, 1960 to J. S. Kivett, a connector assembly was disclosed for joining panels to posts and to other panels. No means for the attachment of brackets, though, was provided in the Kivett structure. Moreover, any attempt to cantilever loads from the Kivett panel connecting structure by means of brackets would tend to work against the clamping action of the connector which is required to hold the panels together. Additionally, the Kivett structure has poor resistance to bending at the panel-post joint and affords no vertical registration to insure the joining of panels at a uniform height.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,631 issued on Aug. 23, 1966 to A. B. Hammitt, another type of connector assembly was disclosed. Again, no means for the attachment of brackets was provided and cantilevered loads would work against the clamping structure. Additional disadvantages to the Hammitt structure included the large, unsightly clamps for fastening panels and the lack of vertical registration.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,282,006 discloses a grooved post-panel system in which clips or connectors may be inserted into the ends of juxtaposed grooves to couple the structural components together. This approach requires access to either the top and/or the bottom of the posts and panels, which makes the structure difficult or impossible to use in floor to ceiling applications.
Other post-panel systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,145,856, 4,038,790, 3,921,347, 3,648,419, 3,431,692 and 2,766,858. These systems employ a variety of approaches to the coupling of modular structural components, but they tend to require many parts, be difficult to assemble or disassemble, unsightly, relatively costly to manufacture or lack durability and strength.